Suspected Israeli missile attack hits Iran post in Syria, kills 26

A suspected missile attack targeting regime outposts in Syria’s north killed 26 pro-regime fighters, mostly Iranians.

Mike Pompeo, left, an Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Sunday. Picture: AFP

A missile attack targeting government outposts in Syria’s northern region killed 26 pro-regime fighters, mostly Iranians, a Syria monitoring group said tonight, amid soaring tensions between Israel and Iran.

Iranian media gave conflicting reports about the overnight incident amid speculation that it was carried out by neighbouring Israel.

The attack came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talked to President Donald Trump on the phone. The White House said the two leaders discussed the continuing threats and challenges facing the Middle East, “especially the problems posed by the Iranian regime’s destabilising activities”.

A day earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ratcheted up the Trump administration’s rhetoric against Iran and offered warm support to Israel and Saudi Arabia in their standoff with Tehran.

“We remain deeply concerned about Iran’s dangerous escalation of threats to Israel and the region and Iran’s ambition to dominate the Middle East remains,” Mr Pompeo said after a nearly two-hour meeting with Mr Netanyahu. “The United States is with Israel in this fight,” he added on his first trip abroad as America’s top diplomat.

Israel has cited Iran’s hostile rhetoric, support for anti-Israel militant groups and development of long-range missiles.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the late Sunday night attack appeared to have been carried out by Israel and targeted an arms depot for surface-to-surface missiles at a base in northern Syria known as Brigade 47. The Observatory said four Syrians were also among the casualties. It said the death toll could rise as the attack also wounded 60 fighters and there were several others still missing.

The missiles targeted buildings and centres likely to include a weapons depot, news agency ISNA reported.

AP